


Breakeven

by MrsTennant80



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Angst and Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 17:11:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12085560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsTennant80/pseuds/MrsTennant80
Summary: When a heart breaks, it don't break even. Alec and Ellie are being daft idiots.





	Breakeven

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Hope you like! Just a one shot, I'll be updating Unexpected later this week!
> 
> Enjoy and please comment! Comments are what I write for. 
> 
> Also shout out to The Script for the title (not a songfic though)

Ellie Miller walked into Broadchurch police station and as it had done every day for the past 6 weeks, her breath caught at the sight of her boss. 

Alec Hardy was angrily berating a hapless DC for some evidence he’d balled up on a case. As Ellie walked past him, he paused and their eyes momentarily met. Time seemed to freeze as they looked at each other in sorrow, before he continued talking and looked back to the DC as if nothing had happened. 

Ellie swallowed the lump in her throat and continued on to her desk. She and Alec had finally admitted their feelings for each other 6 months back, over a bag of chips on the seafront of all things. It had been a wonderful 4 months of shy awkward dates, stolen kisses, furious rows and making love afterwards. It had been passionate, loving, and everything she’d wanted.  
And it was over. 

It had all started with a pregnancy scare. Ellie was rapidly approaching 45 and Alec was two years older. When the test had come back negative, she was extremely relieved. She felt they had enough children between them and were getting too old. Alec on the other hand, had been excited at the prospect and could not understand why she was against having a child with him. The ensuing row had seen all sorts of hurtful accusations flying around. Alec accused Ellie of not loving him and Ellie had (and she cringed whenever she remembered this) accused Alec of only wanting a child to rectify his past mistakes with Daisy. 

He’d left then with a slam of the door and come back the next day to collect the things he’d left at her house, neither of them had spoken properly since then, only when they had to at work. Professional only, that’s what they’d agreed, and it was working so far, except they were both heartbroken.

‘Millah?’ Alec’s Scottish brogue interrupted her musings. 

She turned to face him, looking at his tie rather than his face. ‘Yes Sir?’

If he noticed her not looking at him he didn't say anything, he never did. ‘I’ve got a lead on the Brownstone case. Take DC Hartford to Upper Farm and question the owner. I want to know where he was on the night of the 4th.’ 

‘Yes Sir’ she said quietly. They never followed up leads together anymore, Alec using his superiority to delegate to the other DCs. 

*************************************************************************************

Some time later, Alec was in his office, poring over case files when there was a hurried knock on the door and PC Bob came in.

‘What is it?’ Alec yelled ‘can’t you see I’m busy?’

Bob looked flustered and out of breath. ‘DC Hartford radioed in…shots fired at Upper Farm…officer down.’

Officer down. If Hartford had called it in, that meant it must be Ellie. His stomach dropped and he felt the colour drain from his face. He stood up, grabbed his coat and ran out of the door leaving Bob staring after him.

************************************************************************************

Ellie watched as DC Hartford was loaded into the ambulance and then turned to see the owner of Upper Farm being handcuffed and put into the back of a Police van by the uniformed officers. Back up had arrived swiftly after Ellie had detained the shooter. It seems he’d been the one masterminding the Brownstone burglaries and didn’t like being questioned. Fortunately, DC Hartford had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg only and would make a full recovery in time. 

She heard an engine and turned in surprise as she saw Alec’s car pull up to the scene. What was he doing here? She frowned as she saw him leap out of the car and speak to one of the uniformed officers who then pointed in her direction. 

As he turned to see her standing there with her arms crossed, frowning at him, he seemed to pale and stagger slightly, before he regained his equilibrium and ran towards her. 

‘Sir? What are you doing here?’ she said as he reached her, panting. 

‘Got the report that shots fired….officer down.’ He said between breaths. 

‘Yes, and I’m handling it Sir’ she said cooly. ‘DC Hartford was shot in the leg, but she’ll be OK and I detained the suspect until back up arrived.’

‘No you don’t understand.’ Alec said earnestly. ‘The desk sergeant said Hartford had called it in. I thought…..Oh El, I thought it was you who’d been shot’

Ellie’s stomach clenched as she imagined what he was going through, how she would feel. She was determined to keep up the cool facade of the past 6 weeks however. 

‘Well, as you can see, it was just a mix-up. I’m fine, now if you’ll excuse me, I need to - ‘

She didn't get to finish her sentence because Alec grabbed her jacket and pulled her into a desperate kiss. Ellie tried to resist for about half a second before kissing him back. The kiss deepened and she wound her arms around his neck, mussing his hair. They broke apart breathlessly and put their foreheads together.

‘What are we doing Ellie?’ Alec whispered.

‘Snogging like teenagers at a crime scene.’ she giggled. 

Alec grasped her hands. ‘I was so scared something had happened to you. All the way here I was wondering if you were alive or dead and how awful it’d be if I never told you I loved you again. I’ve been such an idiot Ellie. I really do love you.’ He said sincerely.

Ellie felt her heart swell for this stupid idiot of a grumpy arse who loved hardly anyone, but who he did, with everything he had. ‘I love you two. We’ve both been idiots.’ Ellie said tearfully. 

‘Think we need to talk.’ Alec replied. 

‘I do too.’ she agreed. ‘I’m willing to talk things over and give us a go. I’m not saying it’ll be plain sailing but I think we can make it work.’

‘Yeah?’ Alec smiled down at her. 

‘Yeah’ she confirmed. Then she looped her arm through his and led him towards the car. ‘Come on you big oaf, you need a drink for that shock you’ve just had.’

‘M’not an oaf’ Alec grumbled.

‘Yes you are, you’re my oaf’ Ellie giggled and pulled him along.

They were going to be just fine. 

Fin.


End file.
